MANHATTAN, Kan. -- On green turf under clear skies, Kansas State University students and coaches from the Kansas City Blues Rugby Club joined with Soldiers from the 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, to learn about a sport seldom seen in the U.S. -- rugby.
The clinic, conducted Aug. 17 at K-State's Memorial Stadium, was part of an ongoing partnership between the "Vanguard" Soldiers and the K-State/Fort Riley Rugby Team. Soldiers participated in drills alongside their student counterparts and learned about the rules, terminology and tactics that go into playing the sport that originated in Great Brittan. Adding to the experience, Brig. (UK) Felix Gedney, 1st Inf. Div. Deputy Commanding General for Transition, joined the clinic alongside the Vanguards and Wildcats.
"Glad to be out here," said Capt. Mark Vidotto, Headquarters and Headquarters Company commander, 1st Bn., 18th Inf. Regt. "Rugby is one of those international sports," he added, noting the experience with such a sport would help his Soldiers while deployed overseas.
Vidotto said about 45 Soldiers came out for the clinic.
"I think they've really enjoyed it," he said. "It's a different mentality, I think, of rugby. The whole idea is you've got to pass the ball back -- it's always got to go back. And I think in a lot of American sports, it's all about pushing forward."
The captain admitted rugby was a rougher sport, but said some of his Soldiers would say it's about finesse as well.
"You're attacking and passing off, attacking and passing off," he said. "If you don't have the communication with each other, with your teammates, then you're not going to be very successful."
Vidotto described the K-State representatives as "absolutely amazing."
"Obviously we're in very close proximity with each other," he said of the K-State community and the post. "Understanding what they're going through and having them understand what we're going through on a day-to-day basis helps that communication."
Parker Staats, a fifth-year K-State student majoring in agribusiness, was one of the experienced students helping to conduct the clinic. Staats has been on the team all five years and said it's the camaraderie that keeps him playing.
"There's a great group of guys here," he said. "What really makes it great is, even after the games, we hit these opponents the whole game, and then, we'll go out afterwards and have a good social with them."
Staats said he hopes the joint K-State/Fort Riley team got some new recruits out of the clinic.
"We're just trying to teach the game, make it more readily available for people, so they realize K-State/Fort Riley rugby is here," he said. "This is a great excuse for Soldiers and students to bond together, and then, the Soldiers can actually turn and play with us. It's one of the few sports anywhere really that can offer this opportunity."
The Wildcat said the Soldiers did well at the clinic.
"It always takes a little while to get into a sport, but once they get going, they'll find a love for it," he said. "They're having a good time."
"It was good to come down here," said Capt. Daniel King, commander, Company D, 1st Bn., 18th Inf. Regt. "I think a lot of guys have not ever played rugby before … but now, we actually get a chance to come out and have some of the students show us how it's actually played."
King spoke highly of the students who helped run the clinic.
"A lot of them are the same age as a lot of our guys, so they really relate," he said. "I think it was very successful."
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